AD Agencies
Landor appoints Geet Nazir as managing director India
MUMBAI, March 2025 – Landor Ahas appointed seasoned brand strategist Geet Nazir as its new managing director India based in Mumbai, strengthening the firm’s leadership team across the Asia-Pacific region.
Nazir joins Landor with over 15 years of experience in brand transformation and strategic design, having most recently served as managing director at Conran Design Mumbai. Her appointment comes as Landor seeks to expand its presence in key growth markets throughout the region.
Landor president APAC Lulu Raghavan expressed confidence in the appointment: “Geet’s expertise in creating new brands and nurturing client relationships will be invaluable as we strengthen our position across strategic markets.”
Prior to her four-plus years at Conran Design, Nazir held leadership positions at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces as assistant vice president of brand marketing, and served in senior roles at Contract India and Publicis Capital.
With a master’s degree in advertising from Boston University and a background in electrical and electronics engineering, Nazir brings a blend of creative vision and analytical thinking to her new role.
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
